Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

This new brief edition pairs two of archaeology's most recognized names -- David Hurst Thomas of the American Museum of Natural History and Robert L. Kelly of the University of Wyoming. Their well-chosen examples show how archaeologists have worked through actual problems in the field and in the lab. After using this book, readers will be better able to ask questions, solve problems, and discern "truth" from "fiction." They will learn about the nature of archaeological data and how archaeologists do such things as archaeological survey and excavation. They also will develop their sense of scientific logic and gain a better understanding of career opportunities available to archaeologists. This edition's enhanced full-color design improves the visual presentation and enables users to more clearly see the key points of an image. A rich array of supplemental resources includes a new companion website, as well as the option to use the Doing Fieldwork: Archaeological Demonstrations CD-ROM, Version 2.0, also developed by the authors.

About the Author

Robert L. Kelly began collecting arrowheads in farmers' fields when he was 10 years old. He has participated in archaeological research since 1973, when he was a sophomore in high school. He has worked on excavations in North and South America and conducted ethnographic research in Madagascar. He currently is conducting research into the Paleo-Indian archaeology of Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains. A former president of the Society for American Archaeology and a past secretary of the Archaeology Division of the American Anthropological Association, Kelly has published nearly 100 articles and books, including the 1996 Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Book THE FORAGING SPECTRUM: DIVERSITY IN HUNTING AND GATHERING SOCIETIES. Dr. Kelly has been a professor at the University of Wyoming since 1997. David Hurst Thomas has served as Curator of Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City since 1972. A specialist in Native American archaeology, Thomas discovered both Gatecliff Shelter (Nevada) and the lost 16th- and 17th-century Franciscan mission Santa Catalina de Guale on St. Catherine's Island, Georgia. He has led the long-term excavation of Mission San Marcos near Santa Fe (New Mexico) and recently returned to St. Catherine's Island for long-term archaeological exploration. A founding trustee of the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian since 1989, Thomas has published extensively. His works include 100 papers and 30 books -- most recently, the bestselling Skull Wars: Kennewick Man, Archaeology, and The Battle for Native American Identity. Archaeologist Thomas likes "old stuff," including his 1961 Corvette, his 130-year-old house, and the Oakland Raiders.

Table of Contents

1. Meet Some Real Archaeologists. 2. The Structure of Archaeological Inquiry. 3. Doing Fieldwork: Surveying for Archaeological Sites. 4. Doing Fieldwork: Why Archaeologists Dig Square Holes. 5. Chronology Building: How to Get a Date. 6. The Dimensions of Archaeology: Time, Space, and Form. 7. Taphonomy, Experimental Archaeology, and Ethnoarchaeology. 8. People, Plants, and Animals in the Past. 9. Bioarchaeological Approaches to the Past. 10. Reconstructing Social and Political Systems of the Past. 11. The Archaeology of the Mind. 12. Historical Archaeology: Insights on American History. 13. Caring for the Global Cultural Heritage. Glossary. Bibliography. Index.